Watch Out: How Anxiety Disorders Is Taking Over And What To Do
Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
Everyone experiences anxiety and fears at times. It's an inherent part of our human condition. If these feelings are persistent and are affecting your daily life, then you might be suffering from anxiety disorder.
A healthcare professional can help you in locating a solution that will address your symptoms. This may include psychotherapy, antianxiety medications or natural remedies like exercise, a healthy diet and sleep.
1. Fear and Worry
Every person experiences feelings of anxiety and fear from time to time. It's an inherent part of our body's "fight-or-flight" response to danger. If the fear or anxiety is intense and doesn't disappear, or if it interferes with daily life and activities, then you could be suffering from anxiety disorder. Your doctor can identify anxiety disorders by talking with you and doing physical examinations and urine or blood tests and asking about your previous health. You also might be given questionnaires to complete to help your doctor determine whether you have a particular anxiety disorder.
Symptoms of anxiety disorders vary according to the type. People suffering from generalized anxiety disorders description disorder, for instance are constantly worried and irrationally about everyday situations even though there is no real threat. They also have difficulty sleeping or relaxing. Other signs include a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations), trembling and sweating. People suffering from panic disorders have frequent periods of fear or terror that are intense, which reach a peak within minutes. They also have difficulty managing their emotions. They often try to avoid certain locations or activities to avoid these attacks happening.
People who suffer from phobias are extremely afraid of certain things like flying or snakes. Other symptoms may include headaches, or difficulty breathing. People with PTSD are anxious when they witness or experience traumatizing events, like a war, or car accident. They may experience other symptoms, too, such as flashbacks and nightmares of the traumatic event.
Other anxiety disorders include OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), hoarding disorder, and social anxiety disorder. These disorders make you feel anxious in social situations. You can also experience anxiety over a specific health issue, which is referred to as illness anxiety disorder. Stress and a chemical imbalance may also cause anxiety. Certain medications can cause anxiety as a result of a side effect.
2. Panic Attacks
Individuals with anxiety disorders experience recurring feelings of extreme panic and fear that are not proportional to their situation. These feelings can cause severe physical reactions, such as a racing pulse, breathlessness and nausea. You may also feel detached or numb.
Although anyone can experience a panic disorder but it's more common to experience it in childhood, adolescence or in the early years of adulthood. There are many factors that can trigger it, including chronic or extreme stress that creates chemical imbalances in your brain and nervous system. Trauma, especially during the adolescent years or childhood, can increase the chances of developing anxiety disorders.
The attacks can happen for no reason or in response to a situation that causes you to be scared, such as being in an entire group. They are different from normal anxiety symptoms because they are more intense and are usually unexpected. Individuals with anxiety disorders may also experience a mix of panic attacks that are unanticipated and anticipated attacks.
The most popular treatments for panic attacks and anxiety include talking therapies and medication for anxiety disorder and depression. Talking therapies can help you learn to manage your anxiety and overcome unfounded beliefs that cause anxiety. They can also help you learn to relax through exercises like deep breathing and mindfulness. Some medications, such as SSRIs and SNRIs like duloxetine and venlafaxine, may help to reduce anxiety and panic.
It's important that you see your doctor immediately if you suffer from frequent panic attacks. Your doctor will determine whether you have any other medical conditions that have similar symptoms and recommend other treatments.
3. Insomnia
People who are anxious could have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. This is referred to as insomnia. This can be a short-term issue or a longer-term one. Insomnia can make it difficult to function during the day and can cause serious health issues. It affects women more than men and is more prevalent among older adults. It is more common among people suffering from psychiatric issues.
Sleepiness can be caused by many different causes. Sleep is affected by temporary illnesses such as headaches or colds and chronic conditions like acid reflux, Parkinson's disease or arthritis and medications. Stressful life circumstances can also contribute to it. Around half of people suffering from chronic insomnia suffer from a mental illness, which is most often depression or anxiety.
A doctor will first investigate physical causes. They will ask you questions regarding your medical history, as well as the symptoms that make it difficult to sleep. They will also inquire whether you are taking any medications that might affect your sleep. They could also conduct a sleep study to monitor your breathing and heart rate at night.
Behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for insomnia. It helps you overcome the negative thoughts that keep you awake. It also shows you how to relax before bed. There are techniques for doing this, including biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation. Your doctor can assist you to locate a therapist that can teach you the methods. If you are not responding to behavioural therapies there are many drugs that can help you to sleep better. These include benzodiazepines which can be used to alleviate symptoms temporarily, as well as antidepressant and antianxiety medications.
4. Eating Disorders
Eating disorders involve preoccupations with body shape, weight and food, as well as eating habits such as restrictive eating, binge eating, purging (through vomiting or misuse of laxatives) and compulsive exercise. Many people with an eating disorder have anxiety. The same holds the case for those who suffer from mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or depression. When they are combined, these two conditions can result in a vicious cycle where the person's mood disorders can exacerbate the symptoms of their eating disorder.
There is a strong link between anxiety and the severity of eating disorders. Higher levels of anxiety symptoms are linked to the disorder. In fact those suffering from anorexia tends to exhibit high levels of anxiety symptoms, and the same is the case for people suffering from an eating disorder called bulimia, also known as binge eating disorder. In certain cases, anxiety may be the direct reason behind an eating disorder. In certain instances, anxiety may be a sign of an eating disorder.
In one study, researchers discovered that depression and anxiety symptoms were significantly linked to more severe symptoms of eating disorders among young females. The researchers employed a four-item scale known as the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, which evaluates the symptoms of anxiety and depression. They also analyzed the severity of an eating disorder and asked participants to rate their ability to deal with anxiety.
The study's authors also analyzed three factors that could be a reason for the connection between anxiety and eating disorders self-esteem, perfectionist tendencies and mood dysregulation. They found that these factors moderated the link between anxiety/depression symptoms and symptomatology of eating disorders and did this in different ways for different subgroups of the sample. They hope that their findings will help them develop more precise and targeted treatment of eating disorders.
5. Anxiety-Related physical conditions
Many people experience anxiety-related feelings at some time, but it can become a disorder when it's severe and interferes with daily life. Some people also have specific physical symptoms, like stomach pain or chest pain according to the type of anxiety they have.
Finding the right treatment for anxiety disorders can help people feel better and lead happier lives. Many people benefit from psychotherapy or talk therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a very common kind. CBT teaches how to identify and change negative thoughts which trigger anxiety and fear. It also teaches you how to confront your fears and take small steps to overcome them.
Medication can also help. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and Valium can ease anxiety or panic attacks. Antidepressants like SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants may also be prescribed. These medications boost levels of certain brain chemicals that regulate mood and are able to be used in conjunction with other treatments for anxiety disorders.
Anxiety-producing medical conditions can be caused by medical conditions and sometimes have the same physical symptoms as those of an anxiety disorder. For instance, head trauma can cause anxiety and depression. Other conditions that can trigger anxiety include chronic fatigue and pain and rheumatologic conditions like lupus and a variety of nutritional deficiencies, including iron deficiency.
Certain circumstances make someone more likely to develop anxiety disorders. These are known as risk factors. Certain risk factors are genetic, like an ancestral history of anxiety or disorders. Other factors like childhood abuse, depression, or other mental disorders, and a long-term buildup of stress can increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders. For these reasons, it's important to get an extensive physical exam if you are suffering from anxiety.
